1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrophotographic apparatus, such as a laser printer, wherein a photosensitive body is irradiated with a laser beam.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a laser printer (i.e., one type of electrophotographic apparatus), the surface of the photosensitive body, which is formed of a photoconductive material, is uniformly charged and is exposed to a laser beam, so as to record image information as an electrostatic latent image. The electrostatic latent image is developed with toner, and the developed image is transferred onto a recording medium, such as a sheet of paper. The image is fixed to the recording medium.
The transfer charger of the laser printer employs a transfer voltage generator which generates a high transfer voltage.
In connection with this type of printer, it is known that the amount of charge produced on the paper sheet has an effect on the print quality, i.e., the quality of an image to be transferred onto the paper sheet. This being so, the level of the transfer voltage is so determined as to provide satisfactory print quality at all times. However, the transfer voltage electrode is set in contact with the reverse side of the paper sheet, provided that an image is transferred onto the obverse side of the paper sheet. Therefore, the amount of charge produced on the paper sheet varies, dependent upon the thickness and quality of the paper sheet and/or the ambient moisture.